VP Shettima jets off to Guinea-Conakry, Switzerland

Vice President Kashim Shettima has left Abuja to represent President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of President Mamadi Doumbouya in Guinea-Conakry.

Following the West African ceremony, Shettima is also scheduled to attend the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The development was confirmed in a statement on Friday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications.

The inauguration of President Doumbouya is scheduled for Saturday, January 18, at the GLC Stadium, Nongo, Conakry.

According to the statement, Shettima’s attendance at the inauguration is a strategic move to strengthen regional leadership, economic partnership, and global economic integration under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

It is also part of Nigeria’s leadership role within ECOWAS, including support for Guinea’s return to constitutional order following a four-year transition.

“Beyond diplomatic solidarity, the visit aims to deepen bilateral trade, which recently saw Nigerian exports to Guinea—particularly manufactured goods and agricultural products—rise to $3.29 million,” the statement read.

Doumbouya, a former colonel in the Guinean special forces, led a military coup in September 2021 that ousted President Alpha Condé, who had controversially amended the constitution to seek a third term.

The coup triggered Guinea’s suspension from ECOWAS and the African Union. The regional bloc imposed sanctions and demanded a swift return to civilian rule.

After years of pressure and negotiations, Guinea held elections that Doumbouya won, ending the military transition. His inauguration on Saturday marks the country’s formal return to constitutional governance.

From Guinea, the Vice President will proceed to Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, to participate in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, scheduled for January 19–23, 2026.

WEF 2026, under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” will bring together leaders from government, business, civil society, and scientific and cultural communities.

The forum aims to foster trusted dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and future-oriented solutions to shared global challenges.

According to Nkwocha, key discussions at the forum will focus on frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, next-generation biotechnology, and advanced energy systems.

“The main objective is to determine how these innovations can be responsibly deployed to unlock new engines of growth, expand access across emerging markets, invest in skills for a changing workforce, and promote sustainable and equitable development,” the statement added.

Shettima will also engage global leaders and investors on Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, investment opportunities, and Africa’s role in shaping a resilient and inclusive global future.

The Vice President is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of his engagements in Davos.

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